Takao Akizuki
, formerly called , is one of the main characters in . He is a fifteen-year-old high school student and an aspiring shoemaker. On rainy mornings, he skips school and builds a close relationship with Yukari Yukino. Background He was born to Takashi Fujisawa and Reimi Akizuki, nine years after they gave birth to their first son Shōta Akizuki. In one of his mother's birthday, his family gathered in a park to give her presents, which is memorized by Takao even years later. In his first year in the junior high school, he had a crush to Miho Kasuga, a senior schoolmate and stole her first kiss. However, their relationship was upset by his parents' sudden divorce, and before he could reconcile with her, she had moved away. In On a rainy day in June, Takao Akizuki decides to skip school and visit the Shinjuku Gyo-en, a garden located in Shinjuku. There he encounters Yukari Yukino, a 27-year-old woman who is skipping work. While they sit on the wooden shelter in silence, Takao sketches multiple illustrations of shoes. He studies Yukari for a moment, until he accidentally drops his eraser. She returns it back to him. Soon after, Takao decides to ask Yukari if they have met before, to which she responds with a simple 'no'. Takao continues to sketch, until Yukari bids him farewell with a tanka (a form of Japanese poetry). This leaves Takao puzzled to it's meaning and origin. The two continue to encounter each other and socialize in the park on rainy mornings, but never formally introduce themselves. After Yukari expresses an interest in Takao's shoemaking, he decides to make a pair of shoes in her size. With the end of the rainy season, Takao stops visiting the park and focuses on his work. Following summer break, Takao returns to school and spots Yukari. His friends inform him that she is a literature teacher and that she had been the target of gossip and bullying. Out of kindness and to avoid further confrontation, Yukari opted to avoid work and retreat to the park, hoping she would learn to overcome her fears and be able to "walk" again. However, Yukari quits her job and leaves the school. That afternoon, Takao meets Yukari at the park and greets her by reciting the 2,514th poem from the Man'yōshū Japanese poetry collection, the correct response to her tanka, which he found in a classic Japanese literature textbook. After getting soaked by a sudden thunderstorm, both head to Yukari's apartment and spend the afternoon together. When Takao confesses his love following dinner, Yukari is visibly moved, but then reminds him that she is a teacher and tells him that she is moving back to her home town on Shikoku. After Takao abruptly excuses himself, Yukari realizes her mistake and runs after him, finding him in the stairwell. Still upset, Takao angrily takes back what he had said and criticizes her for being so secretive and never opening up to him. Yukari embraces him and the two cry while she explains that their time together in the park had saved her. The credits show Takao barely passing his final exams, but still working towards his goals, while Yukari moves back to Shikoku and resumes her teaching career. In a post-credits scene, Takao revisits the park that winter, reads a letter from Yukari, places her finished shoes on the bench and then vows that he will find her after he has made progress with his career. In One and a half year later, he prepares to study abroad in Italy, and has a party with his family. In his days in Italy, he exchanges emails with Yukari Yukino, but they avoid discussing personal issues. In May 2018, he has some days off and decides to return to Japan, in which he reunites with Yukino and deliveres his promised shoes. In At the end, Yukari Yukino is seen wearing Takao Akizuki's shoes as her lucky charm. Voice Actors Gallery Takao's first appearance.png|Takao's first appearance Takao at Yukari's apartment.jpg|Takao at Yukari's apartment Trivia * Makoto Shinkai originally envisioned Takao as a boy who wants to help people but felt that he should have a passion for making something since creative work can be rewarding and fulfilling. He picked out shoemaking upon he realized that shoemakers assist people with walking. * Takao made a cameo in , appearing towards the end of the movie.Shinkai Reveals Cameo of The Garden of Words' Takao in your name. References Category:Your Name. characters